


block by block

by lady_peony



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-04-13 23:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4540917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_peony/pseuds/lady_peony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It would take another seven, eight months before she could see them.</p>
            </blockquote>





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**Author's Note:**

> gen fic? yes this is gen fic.

Tooru carefully placed the shears aside and brushed a browned leaf clinging from her hand into the waiting pile in the basket. The morning air flowed clean and smooth into her lungs, unlike the earlier humidity last week. 

"Does that look all right, Takayama-san?" Before her, the rows of stalks and leaves looked as neatly-trimmed as the haircuts of freshmen at the first opening assembly of the school year.

"Could you bring the basket over, Tooru-chan?" Takayama stepped down from the porch and peered over the rows. "The irises are sure to bloom wonderfully next year. With Ayane-chan studying so far away, I didn't know who else to ask for help around the garden." She nodded with a wide smile which glowed through the wrinkles around her cheeks. "She will be happy to see these when she comes back."

"Surely, she will be just as happy to see her grandmother," Tooru said, picking up the basket and the shears gently with one hand. Her other hand pulled the borrowed hat from her head, its wide brim nearly slipping out of her fingers. "Thank you for showing me your garden." 

Her left calf had a mild ache and there was soil drying on her palms, crumbly beneath every single one of her nails. And still, it had been fun.

It would take another seven, eight months before she could see them. It would be a sight; a spread of violet shades spilling through the upward swoop of petals, like the resting wings of butterflies.

Takayama-san beamed. "Young or old, everyone needs to spend some time with beautiful things." She reached out a hand to accept the shears and the hat from Taki's arm. "For the ink you had asked about, the box is on the table inside. Take it after you have some tea first, young lady." 

It was another hour before Tooru left carrying the box of ink sticks in one hand and a full box of chestnut-flavored uiro in the other. Takayama-san had insisted that Tooru take it as well. 

 

-

 

Taki stretched the fingers of her right hand. Closed them. Then rolled over twice on the floor until she flopped onto her back. 

"How do I begin?"

The ceiling she looked up at gave no answer. She wondered if there were any youkai listening now. 

If they couldn't read human writing, she didn't know how much they could help. 

She sucked in a breath and sat up. Staring at the table seemed to have about the same effectiveness as studying the ceiling. 

She kept the press of her elbow securing the paper light, to avoid wrinkling it. Her brush and the inkstone weighed heavier in her other hand.

The grass in the garden was just a lighter yellow then the last time she had seen it. She dangled her legs over the bend of the open porch and propped up a hand under her chin.

The paper rested blank next to her for a while, held in place with the weight of the inkstone on one end, a small cup of water on the other. 

A breeze bustled past, stirred the small pile of leaves by one of the standing stone lanterns. A stray dandelion scattered with it, a white cloud blowing into twirling dancers against red and gold. 

Tooru picked up the ink stick and poured a little water into the ink stone.

After, her fingers reach for the wooden hand of the brush. Dabbed it in ink, lightly, brought it down again to curve across paper.

_Dear Mother,_

_I hope your health is well. The garden is pretty this time of the year, almost prettier than it looked during your last spring visit. The pink flowers on the bush clover are especially nice; I'll send a picture soon with my next message..._

 

-

 

The post office box closed with barely a squeak. Tooru eyes skimmed down the shops along her view--a small fabric store, a bakery, the ramen shop.

Should she get ramen today instead of cooking? On the other hand, she could finish the rice she had saved from yesterday, maybe with the fish if she hadn't eaten it all already.

There was a faint chiming of bells, a cheerful voice talking brightly to a younger one. Tooru watched the door behind them swing shut as the bells faded.

"Sasada-san?" As the name rushed out of her mouth, Tooru willed her shoulders to relax, pushed down the urge to flee. She pressed her hand briefly against her pocket, the shape of the rolled talisman and defensive charm a grounding reminder.

"Taki!" Sasada hurried closer, a bag in one arm. One of her hands is reached out towards the younger girl following her, an elementary-school student by Tooru's guess. 

Tooru bent down to look at the girl, smiled. "Is this your little sister, Sasada-san?" Then, to the girl, "I'm Sasada-san's classmate at school. We're not in the same class, but we know each other. She's a big help to everyone."

"Oh!" Sasada pushed back her hair and grinned, a little sheepish. "Taki-san, this is not my sister. This is Tamiko." 

The younger girl looked up at Taki. "Nice to meet you! Can I call you Taki-nee-san?"

"It is nice to meet you," Tooru said, gravely. "What are you doing out here today with Sasada, Tamiko-chan?"

"Well," Sasada said, with a note of a plea. "How much do you know about sewing?"

Back at her house, Tooru squinted at a length of white thread, checking the knot at one end of a needle. Sasada next to her stared at the paper from the clerk at the fabric store, her mouth moving silently over the instructions. 

Tamiko had half an apple slice raised to her mouth, her eyes on the small TV Tooru had turned on for her. When they had been changing channels, Tamiko had asked politely for the one playing a mystery movie, said that it was one her mama had started watching earlier that week. 

Sasada had seen it already, while Tooru hadn't; with a small frown, Sasada warned that there were one or two scenes that Tamiko could find scary but the rest of the film should be fine. Most of it was comedic, after all. 

The film is finished almost two hours later. So is Tamiko's costume.

"I can patch my own things, just small repairs." Sasada taped a small bandage around her pointer finger, winces. "But a princess dress...Her mother had started it, but Tamiko needed it for the play in two days. I'm very, very glad to have run into you."

"It wasn't a problem," Tooru said. The dress is a soft cream, with a puffy skirt like a tulip. She's glad for the practice with making charms; following the stitching of white thread on white fabric had required all her concentration. 

"Tamiko?" Sasada shifted to look towards Tamiko, who was sitting with an empty plate in front of the TV. "Did you like the movie?"

Tamiko looks entranced at the blonde man--the detective, Tooru recognizes--modestly laughing off the compliments of the grateful family. Tamiko turns to them with bright cheeks, her hands clasped in front of her as if in mid-applause. 

"Next year," Tamiko said with resolute certainty, "I want to be a detective!"

 

-

 

"This one. I want to try this one!"

Tooru brought the dish closer and grinned when the slice of uiro disappeared with a gulping sound.

"Was that good?"

"Passable." The cat pulled itself up closer to peer over the table. "Maybe only that one tasted good. Isn't there more?"

Tooru allowed herself to pat his head. Just a little. One of his ears flicked to the side as her fingers stroked past it. 

"Why did--nyaah--did you promise food if it was so little? That was just an appetizer! An appetizer!"

Tooru pulled him off the table and stood. He was delightfully warm. "Must...resist...hugging," she sternly said to herself.

"Hey! Human girl! There is still more in the kitchen! Did you trick me?" 

Tooru kept walking.

Would Natsume mind very much if she asked to cat-sit once in a while? 

She shook her head to refocus, let her feet lead her to her intended destination.

"You wanted more snacks, right? Can you help me with this favor?" Tooru pulled open the door. The cat jumped down immediately to scuttle up to the table when she loosened her arms, his nose sniffing hopefully.

"What's this?" The cat squinted at objects lined at the table's edge. "Girl. Explain."

Some of the objects were wood or fabric or paper, or a mix of all three. 

Tooru took in a breath. "These charms. I don't know which ones would work better than the others or how powerful they might be. Could you help me please, kitty?"

The cat--Nyanko-sensei--she remembered turned its stare towards her. Tooru rested her hands in her lap. Lifted her head to meet his scrutiny directly. 

Nyanko-sensei turned his stare from her after a moment. "Hmmph." He slammed a paw on the table with an declarative-sounding thump. "Fine. It would be rude for a guest to leave before finishing all the snacks offered."

This one, he said pointing to the first, would work fine, against most mischievous yokai. This other one, he said, sniffing at a tiny sachet, was not as strong. Yet for everyday protection, he conceded, it would suffice. 

For the last charm on the table, he opened his jaw and swallowed it. 

Tooru bit back a shriek. "What if it's poisonous for you? Put that back! Right now!"

His jaw moved as he gnawed on it. Then to Tooru's relief, he stood on his hind legs and spat it daintily onto the table.

"It would take more than that to hurt me, human. This one. It keeps away bugs. Not yokai."

Tooru blinked at the damp-looking bag. Then she sat back on her hands and laughed, loud enough that it echoed back from the corners of the ceiling. 

"I think I'll pack those snacks for you now," she said a minute later, still giggling. 

Nyanko-sensei left eventually, ambling down the road carrying a wrapped box in his mouth, along with a message for Natsume to visit any time soon. Nyanko-sensei was invited too.


End file.
